MADE TO ORDER ... ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS

‘One word’ can change the whole meaning of any paragraph, any chapter and even a whole book. Remove that particular ‘word’ and things look and mean differently. A case in point is next Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus said: “I am the ‘good’ shepherd.” Had he declared that He was a shepherd, leaving out the adjective ‘good’,  this would have meant that He would have behaved like the other  shepherds. But by declaring : “I am the ‘good’ shepherd”, meant that THIS shepherd had different terms of reference, ‘he was good’.

Now, what does the word ‘good’ mean? Rather, what word was used in the original text. In Greek we do have two words meaning ‘good’, these are, ‘agathos’ and ‘kalos’. ‘Agathos’ describes simply the moral quality  of a thing, whilst ‘kalos’ means that in the goodness there is also a quality of winsomeness which makes it lovely. When Jesus is described as the ‘good’ shepherd, the word ‘kalos’ is used.

In Him there is more than efficiency  and fidelity, there is grace and sweetness. The village doctor might be ‘a good doctor’, meaning he is efficient and skilful as a physician, but also that he is sympathetic, kind and gracious. We have to refer to the ‘fold’. A shepherd who owns the fold, has probably inherited the fold from his father or other relative; he might have bought it.

So the shepherd is such by chance, as a family trade. But not Christ; He was born to be a shepherd, a ‘good’ shepherd, at that. It was His free choice to lead the fold, especially to rescue and save those in trouble. He showed great respect towards the ‘shepherds’ who received the first news that the ‘good shepherd’ was born.

Christ was born with the terms of reference that He was ready to sacrifice Himself for the fold, which He in fact did. Unlike the normal shepherds who might end their life as shepherds without ever being in danger of losing their life. The shepherds used to lead their fold to good grazing grounds so that their sheep might have their full. BUT, have you ever thought about the ‘good shepherd’? He provided food for His sheep, He provided us with the ‘Bread of Angels’ with His own Body and Blood. When He instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist it was as if He was leading us to ‘pastures green’.

Another point to consider; the ‘good’ shepherd became as one of the fold, and ultimately ended up being the ‘sacrificial lamb’. The Risen Christ ascended into Heaven, but He is still our ‘good’ shepherd because He did leave the mission of shepherding in the good hands of the Church.